SPONSOR: Christensen
This bill defines "ultraprocessed food" as any food or drink that includes ingredients or color additives as listed in the bill.
Beginning in the 2026-27 school year public schools and school districts can not serve or sell ultraprocessed food on school grounds during the school day. Parents can provide ultraprocessed food to their own student.
Annually, before August 1st of each school year, school districts must submit a list of all food and drink items the district intends to serve during the school year to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education(DESE) with a statement that each item has been reviewed and is not ultraprocessed. DESE will grant a one-year approval of such list and if a district fails to provide a list or fails a food inspection which reveals the use of ultraprocessed food in the district DESE must notify the General Assembly of the noncompliance.
If districts are in noncompliance in two consecutive years it will result in DESE withholding state moneys allocated to those districts until the district is in compliance.
Statutes affected: